LEC Support Stend Announces Shock Retirement
French support player Paul ‘Stend’ Lardin has announced his retirement from League of Legends esports, ending a seven-year career in the competitive scene. The announcement came just one week after Stend publicly stated he was seeking new offers following his time competing with Shifters during the LEC Summer Split.
In his retirement statement, Stend attributed the decision to a fundamental shift in his relationship with the game. His career included stints with Team Heretics, Vitality.Bee, and Giants, though 2026 proved particularly challenging. Stend had started the year with Team Heretics, where the organization positioned him as a cornerstone of a long-term project alongside jungler Théo ‘Sheo’ Borile.
The rapid turnaround from actively pursuing new opportunities to announcing retirement highlights the pressures of professional esports and suggests the difficulties Stend faced during the 2026 season may have prompted him to exit competitive play entirely. While many League of Legends players experienced challenging 2026 seasons, Stend’s decision represents a significant departure from seeking a fresh start with another organization.